A/N
Back with another AO3 import, but this project is mostly on hiatus while I focus on finishing other stories. I hope you enjoy what's been written so far!


Safe from Harm


Everything was on fire.

He looked out a palace window and saw red. Red flames engulfing the buildings, the fields, the sky. Red blood staining the ground where his people were struck down, or raining upon the heads of kin if they had been airborne when the assault began. Red missiles laying waste to the city, firing with gleeful abandon. Red anger clouding his vision, spurring him into action.

But it was too late to rally their forces; most of them were already dead or dying. If there had been any indication of an attack, they could have presented a united front. They would have stood a chance against this foe, beings who always acted more like falsely benevolent overlords than business associates despite attempts to define their partnership as such. This senseless slaughter proved they never came within light-years of being considered equals.

He wondered what his people did to deserve this; why now of all times? Had they pissed off the Conglomerate? Were the overlords bored? No matter the reason, it infuriated him. Affronted him. Made him want to fight back and survive just to spite them. If he became the last of his kind, he refused to die until removing every trace of them from the universe. Extinction superseded genocide.

"Your Highness, wake up."

Prince Vegeta's eyes snapped open, sharp and alert and containing no trace of the memory that resurfaced every time he fell unconscious. "What is it?" he demanded of the woman who'd roused him. Her exasperated sigh made him consider adjusting his attitude. He shouldn't talk down to the other survivors just because royal blood ran in his veins, as if his title meant anything now.

"You said to inform you if we located the scout ship." Gine inclined her head toward the exit. "We just picked up its distress signal."

Vegeta trailed her to the bridge, seeing that his father hadn't moved from the captain's seat in several hours. The king appeared haggard but he refused to rest until they found somewhere safe to stay. The best pilot in the army, Bardock, had jumped in a battleship when the attack began and plucked a handful of Saiyans from the jaws of certain death, whisking them off into the unknown reaches of space. No one had any idea where they were now, but the instruments revealed a sun which meant a system with potentially habitable worlds. A junior pilot named Shallot offered to fly the smaller scouting vessel into the solar system to gather data, but communications had abruptly cut off.

Gine, Bardock's wife and navigator, tracked the distress signal to a gigantic planet the likes of which they'd never seen. It was covered in whorls of white and yellowish clouds as one giant red spot moved across the equator. Even to the naked eye it was obvious that perpetual storms raged on the surface. "Is he really down there?" Bardock groaned, earning a somber nod from Gine. "Shit. Brace yourselves, everyone." He descended into the atmosphere, fighting an intense magnetic pull. Once through the clouds they flew over an ocean of liquid metal toward a rocky continent. They discovered the wreckage of the scout ship on the far side of some mountains.

"Any trace of the pilot?" King Vegeta inquired.

"I'm starting an area scan." Gine's grim expression told him what he didn't want to hear. "No life signs detected."

"What about ki?" the prince pressed.

"I don't sense any Saiyans out there." Bardock stood and left the controls. "We should recover the body, at least." Vegeta started after him but he raised a hand. "You should stay, Your Highness. You don't need to see his mangled corpse."

Vegeta scoffed. "What's one more?" Bardock hesitated before opening the main hatch. Howling wind tore at their armor as sleet struck their skin like thousands of tiny, frigid needles. Bolts of white-hot lightning lanced down from the sky every few seconds and constant peals of thunder shook the ground. What a horrid planet.

With arms raised in a futile attempt to shield themselves from the elements, Vegeta and Bardock drifted to the scout ship. A section of silver paneling was blackened with evidence of a fire, but the seat harness was intact and there was no sign of blood or other viscera, so Shallot had probably survived the crash. The vessel's emergency provisions were still in storage but the pilot was nowhere to be seen or sensed. Had he flown off in search of shelter?

Vegeta ordered Gine to perform a full planetary sweep when he returned to the battleship with her husband. They hovered above the cloudline, waiting anxiously for the results. Gine's brow rose in surprise. "I'm picking up… something," she ineloquently described. "There's a transmission being emitted from a device in the thermosphere." She sent the coordinates to Bardock's console. He tracked the signal to a satellite in the eye of the planet's red storm, a patch of calm among the chaos. If there was a satellite relaying information, someone intelligent must have put it there in the first place.

No sooner had Bardock exited the atmosphere than several systems suddenly went offline, leaving them dead in space. "What is—" the king started to ask, then a surge of ki shut him up. Outside the viewport, a spark of golden light flickered and brightened to the point of blinding them. When it died down a little, they discerned a silhouette akin to their own. The aura being radiated was immense. "Who are you?" King Vegeta breathed in awe.

"I'm the one asking the questions here." The voice was feminine and authoritative. "Are you allies of that creature I rescued from Jupiter?"

"Creature? Jupiter?" Bardock winced as the light intensified in his direction. "Woman, we don't even know where we are!"

"Hmph. You're in the solar system known as the Sea of Serenity." Her intensity faded, collapsing inward to form a solid figure. The young woman cast her crimson gaze about with suspicion. She was tall and leanly muscled, with long hair that transitioned from yellow to amber to red. She wore a golden cuirass, gauntlets, and greaves over a short white dress, and a gold tiara inlaid with multicolored stones adorned her head. "You're Saiyans, right? You must be. You have tails and wild hair like Shallot."

"Shallot is alive?!"

She nodded. "Alive and recovering from his accident. His ship was struck by lightning. A vessel that small didn't stand a chance against Jupiter."

King Vegeta inched toward her with his hands raised. "You know about us, but with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

She raised an eyebrow at his deferential demeanor. "I'm Sailor Galaxia, the Guardian of Seiun."

"Seiun?" Gine repeated.

"That's our name for this galaxy."

"How can you be the guardian of an entire galaxy?" Bardock questioned.

"I just am."

"And what is your species called, if I may?" the king asked.

"I'm a Human."

Human. The Saiyans had encountered many alien races throughout their history, but never ones with nearly-identical physical attributes. "You are a guardian, you say? A warrior?" Galaxia nodded again. "Are there other such warriors among your kind?"

"There are eleven celestial guardians in total," she replied. "One representing each of the nine planets in the Sea, one representing our galaxy, and one representing our section of the universe. She has a more… ephemeral existence than the rest of us." Galaxia tossed her ombre hair. "But rather than stand around answering your questions, I'll let our matriarch do it. She's been anticipating your arrival since Shallot informed us there were others like him."

Bardock cleared his throat. "Did he tell you why we came here?"

"No, but I recognize a refugee ship when I see one." With a small smile, Galaxia separated into golden particles that formed a beam pointing at the heart of the solar system. The Saiyans shared incredulous looks. After leaving their own world far behind, had they really encountered benevolent strangers who would accept them without any questions asked?


Sailor Galaxia assumed her solid form again when the Saiyan battleship touched down on Luna, the Sea's embassy. There were twelve refugees altogether, too few to save their population and only one female among them besides. After observing their small group, Galaxia deduced they came from a monarchical, militaristic society. The king was easily identified by his cape and ornamental jewelry. The teenage princes wore ornate armor emblazoned with royal crests. A massive, muscular, bald man had gold stars on his spaulders. The pilot and a slightly older man wore identical uniforms featuring three chevrons. The woman's uniform had a single chevron. Two more teenagers had the same rank as Shallot, denoted with one stripe, and a young adult had two stripes, supporting the theory that ranks increased with age and presumably fighting prowess. The last Saiyan to stand before her was another young adult in tattered grey armor with a defaced insignia. Galaxia's attention lingered on him. "Why is this man in manacles?"

"He is a dissident, Your… Radiance." King Vegeta received an arched brow for both an explanation and the strange way he addressed her. "His name is Turles. He left our homeworld a few years ago to engage in piratical endeavors. We discovered him adrift during our journey here. He cannot be trusted, so we kept him restrained."

"Piracy, hmm?" Galaxia wrinkled her nose at his unkempt appearance while he glowered in response. "Our policy is to rehabilitate criminals, not that many arise in our society. You'll be given the chance to redeem yourself if you want to live freely like everyone else." Turles said nothing, his gaze falling to the ground after losing their staring contest. Galaxia spun on her heel. "Come on, the queen is waiting to meet you."

She led the Saiyans into a glimmering crystal castle. Its facets refracted every bit of light, presenting colors they'd never seen before. "Beautiful…" the younger prince, Tarble, murmured. He referred to their surroundings as well as the other Humans they passed. They showcased a genetic kaleidoscope, each possessing a different body type, facial structure, skin tone, eye color, hair color and texture than the last. These people were fascinating to a species as homogenized as the Saiyans. But after observing two dozen or so, it became evident that Galaxia was unique even by their standards. Guardians were a special variety of Human.

Upon entering a grand hall where stained glass windows cast a scintillating mosaic across the floor, the Saiyans were approached by the most attractive Human they'd yet seen, a woman whose aura washed over them like a gentle breeze. Her skin was as ivory, her hair white as snow, and her eyes a precious silver. "Be at peace, wanderers." Her smile felt like a blessing. "You are safe now. I am Queen Serenity Selas, the White Lady of Luna. May I have your names?"

"Your Majesty." The king went to one knee and his brethren followed suit. "I am King Vegeta the Third of… formerly of Vegetasei and Sadala. These are my sons, Tarble and Vegeta the Fourth." They all stood again, the motion practiced. "This is General Nappa of the… defunct Saiyan army." Gods, these were the worst introductions he'd ever given. "This is Commander Bardock, Commandant Gine, and their sons Kakarot and Raditz." Galaxia tried not to reveal her shock that a whole family had survived whatever atrocity they fled from. "These two are Commander Paragus and his son Broly." They ducked their chins, curt. "And this is Turles, a renegade we generously decided to accept into our midst." Turles scoffed quietly.

The queen curtsied. "Well met. I will not inquire about the circumstances that led you here– that is your story to share when you are ready. It would be my pleasure to offer you new homes among any of our worlds. Allow me to tell you about them." She gestured with the staff in her grip and it projected a holographic model of the solar system. "Within the Sea of Serenity, there are nine planets and many moons on which you may reside. Our sun is called Helios. The planet nearest it is Mercury, which has an artificial satellite called Mariner. The Guardian of Ice and Wisdom lives there. Her people are renowned for their brilliance in the fields of medicine and technology– the one named Shallot is currently in their care. The Mercurians would be thrilled to have you, although you may find their curiosity too much to suffer."

"Sounds like an interesting place," Tarble said, eliciting some snide glances. His preference for studying xenology in lieu of honing his fighting talents made him a bit of an outcast on their old worlds.

"Next is Venus. It is a lovely planet rich in minerals of all kinds, and its people enjoy nothing more than spreading their wealth. The Venusians possess discerning tastes and may not be the most willing to serve you right away, so I suspect you will have to prove your value to be granted a place in their decadent society. They too have an artificial satellite, Magellan, which is home to the Guardian of Love and Beauty. If your pastimes include indulging in sensory delights, this may be the place to consider."

"Can I indulge in that Guardian of Love and Beauty?" Raditz leered, earning a ki zap on the tail from his mother. "Oww!"

The queen ignored his comment. "Terra is often called Venus' twin, but it is by far the most diverse planet in our system. It has varied environments, weather, flora and fauna. The Terrans lead an idyllic, peaceful lifestyle in conjunction with nature. It also hosts the secondary seat of power, occupied by King Aethlios and Prince Endymion. The people are amicable and easygoing, and you could spend all your years there without eating the same thing twice as it is a cornucopia of culinary innovation."

"Could use something good to eat…" Turles mumbled.

"Mars is the last planet among the interior of the Sea. The Martians are warriors who pride themselves on physical strength, endurance, and combat prowess. Metallurgy and smithing are practiced in abundance. Their planet is wanting for resources other than metal, however, and internal conflicts often arise. They have two natural moons, Phobos and Deimos. The Guardian of Fire and Passion utilizes both– one hosts her personal residence and the other hosts a sacred temple. That guardian is something of a recluse, so do not expect a personal welcome."

Nappa looked to his liege. "Perhaps you and I could visit Mars, compare their fighting techniques to our own." The king hummed at the suggestion.

"In the outer limits we first have Jupiter, the largest planet in the Sea hosting equally large moons– the one called Ganymede is even bigger than Mercury. I am positive you will find solace there, for the Jovians are accepting of all peoples. The blending of cultures has led to a system in which trading and bartering for goods and services is typical. Most of the populace is concentrated on the Galilean moons of Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, and Io. The last is home to the Guardian of Thunder and Courage."

Paragus turned to his son. "What do you think, Broly? The moons of Jupiter sound intriguing." The boy shrugged. Anywhere was better than the cramped cabin he shared with Kakarot.

"We move on to Saturn, a planet with distinct icy rings. It has over eighty moons to explore. However, the one called Titan is off-limits to everyone save the Guardian of Silence and Destruction. She is the youngest of our celestial warriors and is still learning to harness her abilities, but the other moons such as Enceladus, Mimas, Rhea, Dione, and Tethys are fully accommodating. The Saturnians are divided into two factions. The Keepers chronicle history so that we may better understand our present, and they have a rather humanitarian outlook on life. The Heralds seek to unravel the mysteries of the universe and use their discoveries to implement technologies that will ensure our survival. If you have ever entertained existential, philosophical notions, Saturn would be happy to host you."

Queen Serenity adjusted the projection so that it zoomed in on the three outermost planets. "Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are grouped together because they exist on the fringes of our civilization, though they are no less civilized. Neptune and its moons are tropical paradises, but those people value hard work and will not tolerate apathy. The Guardian of the Depths watches over that region from her palace on Triton. Uranus is an ice giant with an unusual rotation affecting its citizens– the people are artistic and eccentric in nature. The Guardian of the Heavens, located on Miranda, is a warrior of renown who loves a good challenge, so consider seeking her out for the chance to earn a favor." Kakarot perked up at that. Most of this information went in one ear and right out the other, but the promise of a good fight piqued his interest. "Last is Pluto, the harshest world on the very edge of the Sea. It is dark and cold, and the people are intrepid explorers delving into the farthest reaches of our galactic arm. One must be able to fend for themselves to fit in with the Plutonians. You will not receive any handouts from the Guardian of Time on Charon, but if you desire fame and glory, consider making your way there."

When she finished expositing, the Saiyans looked a little overwhelmed. There was no way they could choose where to go just yet but thankfully they didn't have to. "As new arrivals, you may spend up to five days in the embassy," the queen went on, "but you must file for citizenship with one of the planets by the end of that period. I should clarify that you will not be bound to that world exclusively– all residents of the Sea may travel freely once they are registered. Most refugees like to visit each planet before making their decision. We utilize portal technology for instantaneous travel, and you will find Luna's portal by following those signs." She gestured to a circular symbol at a junction. "If you have further questions, do not hesitate to broach them. Any staff members will happily assist you. With that, I bid you all a good afternoon." Queen Serenity curtsied again and sashayed out of the hall, vanishing through a crystal arch.

Galaxia sighed and forced a smile. The queen was sweet as honey but she had a tendency to ramble. "If there's anything you need to retrieve from your ship, go get it. I'll show you to your quarters." The Saiyans had little to no personal effects since they had fled for their lives. "Here in the temporary residence wing, you have access to dining, clothing, and technology facilities. I should hope the first two are self-explanatory, and the last is where you can work with engineers to recreate tech you might have lost. Feel free to request anything you want." She heaved another sigh. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my duties."

"Wait!" King Vegeta reached for her as she turned translucent, pausing in a state between solid and ethereal. "Where is Shallot, exactly?"

"He's on Mercury, like the queen said, at Hermai Hospital," Galaxia answered, and phased out of sight.

The king headed for a portal symbol. "I'll go with you," Vegeta offered.

"No, you stay here. Shallot's well-being is my responsibility." He ignored the slight scowl from the boy. A few days ago, the only Saiyans King Vegeta had been personally acquainted with were his sons and Nappa, but now that they were an endangered species he considered them all family. They had to stay together, share information with each other, and figure out exactly who they could trust. Starting a new life in the Sea of Serenity sounded ideal; then again, partnering with the Frieza seemed ideal back in the day. It was because of his unwillingness to alter the status quo that there were only twelve Saiyans left, and the king wasn't going to make any decisions lightly at the risk of further reducing that number. "I'll be back soon," he reassured his heir. "Rest, relax, eat well. The gods know you deserve a moment of peace."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Bardock grinned. "C'mon, boys. Let's see what this place has to offer." He wrapped an arm around Gine's shoulders as their tails entwined, the family wandering off. Everyone else except Tarble, Vegeta, and Turles trailed them after a beat.

Turles proffered his bound wrists. "Can I get that key now, Majesty? I'm sure these people will wonder why you're keeping me restrained like some criminal."

"You are a criminal." Nonetheless, King Vegeta unlocked the manacles. Turles rubbed his reddened wrists, smirking. "You'd better not disgrace us."

"A disgrace? Me?" His smirk widened. "I'll have you know there were at least five planets who offered me sanctuary when the Frieza decided to kill us off. I made friends with some very powerful and important individuals in our system, but you refused to listen when I suggested you turn back."

"Our life here will be better than anything your friends could provide," the king retorted, yet his words lacked conviction. He wanted to believe the Saiyans could live out the rest of their days in peace. He wanted to believe the "Sea of Serenity" had been aptly named. He wanted to believe there were alien races as generous as this one… But he had learned a harsh lesson much too late: people were not always who they presented themselves to be. There was a possibility the Saiyans would be deceived again and the Humans would stab them in the back, literally, leaving them nothing more than a footnote in history books as an extinct species.

Still, he dared to hope that these worlds would be their salvation as well as his chance to redeem himself.


Vegeta initially determined to learn the layout of the embassy, but everything appeared the same after a while and its endless crystalline facets made it impossible to tell which direction he'd come from, so he resorted to following signs to the clothing facility. A boy about his age waved at him, yet the friendly gesture wasn't what prompted him to approach. The Human had golden hair and blue eyes. When Saiyans exhibited those features it meant they had ascended to a more powerful state, gaining better control over their ki. "Hey there!" the boy beamed. "Haven't seen you before. Did you just arrive on Luna?"

"Yes…" Vegeta replied, trying and failing not to stare.

"Awesome! What part of the galaxy did you come from? Perseus? Norma?"

He'd heard of neither. "I'm not sure. Where are we in relation to those places?"

"The Sea of Serenity is in the Orion-Cygnus arm." The boy's bright eyes widened. "Wait, are you from the other side of the galactic core? Did you come from the shadow?"

If Vegeta answered yes, would he fawn over him even more? He couldn't lie in good conscience. "I think… we came from the southeast."

"Ooh, the Carina-Sagittarius arm." His head bobbed matter-of-factly. "That's a long way away! What's your system like? Are you the only sapient lifeforms?"

"Do you ask everyone these questions?" the prince returned.

"Well, yeah." The boy's laugh sounded so carefree and genuine. "It's always exciting to learn where people come from. What's your species called, anyway?"

Vegeta puffed out his chest, standing as tall as his short stature allowed. "I'm a Saiyan."

"Saiyan." He leaned sideways. "You have a tail."

"Yes, we have tails."

"Is it prehensile?" Vegeta didn't know that word. "Can you control it like an extra limb?" He demonstrated its maneuverability by removing a hanger from a rack. "That's so cool," the boy gushed. "We've only met one other species with tails, the Mautians. Their fur fluffs up when they get angry. Not exactly intimidating." Vegeta snickered; Saiyans were intimidating when they got angry. "So, were you looking for something to replace that stuffy armor?" The prince examined himself. "It's not like you need it anymore, right? Armor is for fighting in."

The boy had a point. There were no enemies to fight here, at least not yet. Vegeta frowned at his own pessimism. He didn't plan on starting conflicts with anybody, but just in case one arose, or in case the Frieza tracked them down… They wouldn't go so far, would they? They knew they had won. It wasn't like the Saiyan race was going to recover with twelve members, not without inbreeding. Gross. "I suppose I don't—" he started to say, but then the boy called out to someone else.

"Hey, Bunny! Over here! Look, there's a new species in the Sea!"

Vegeta rotated to see who the dainty footfalls belonged to, his breath catching. A moment ago, Queen Serenity had been the most beautiful being he ever laid eyes on. The girl he now faced was an even prettier version of her. She wore the same hairstyle, twin buns with long strands nearly reaching the floor, but her locks were pale blonde instead of white. Her dress was also similar, a semi-sheer white garment with puffed sleeves and gold trim on the strapless bodice. Her stunning blue irises threatened to drown him the longer he gazed into them. And her lips… oh, they existed to be kissed. Once oxygen began flowing to his brain again, Vegeta realized that this girl had an aura akin to Galaxia's, although she was not actively exuding it to intimidate him. "Are you a guardian?" he blurted.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "I am. My name is Usagi and I'm the princess of Luna. And you are?"

"Usagi…" he echoed. It almost rolled off the tongue. He bowed at the waist. "Vegeta. Prince Vegeta the Fourth of… Vegetasei and Sadala." He made the same mistake as his father by announcing his title like it carried weight. There was no more Vegetasei or Sadala.

Usagi gave a graceful curtsy. "Nice to meet you, Prince Vegeta the Fourth of Vegetasei and Sadala. Did you speak with my mother already?"

"Yes." He sounded like a robot, stiff and cold even though his face was burning.

"Be at peace, then." She gestured to the racks behind him. "Were you interested in new clothes?"

Vegeta forgot he'd only wandered over because of the blond boy, but now there was a boy and a girl vying for attention and he didn't know which to focus on. Yet the more he compared the two, the more physical similarities he noticed. "Are you related?"

"Yeah, she's my older sister," the boy explained. "Oh, and my name's Shingo."

Usagi. Shingo. Such strange names, but his probably seemed strange to them as well. "Do you… think I need new clothes?" he queried.

Shingo said "yes" and Usagi said "no", so Vegeta just stood there. Then the latter circled him. "What's this armor made of? It's elastic yet hard. I've never seen such a thing."

"It's… standard-issue Frieza combat gear." Gods, they were going to consider him daft if he kept talking like that.

"What's a Frieza?"

The query restored some rationality and rage. "The Frieza are the race that killed off my people," Vegeta bit out. "We used to work with them… or for them, really."

"What kind of work?"

"They were… are… galactic conquerors." The siblings were taken aback, so he provided an even more watered-down explanation. "We used to help them keep the peace on certain planets where uprisings might have occurred."

"So you Saiyans are like thugs," Shingo deduced, "hired muscle." He didn't sound scathing, but certainly judgmental.

Vegeta hung his head. Now that his entire perspective had shifted and he had time to reflect on the actions of his people, he realized their history was littered with villainy. When the two species first met, the Frieza saw the Saiyans' potential for violence and made them an offer: serve and they wouldn't be subjugated. So they served, obeyed orders without question, condoned the Frieza's awful deeds as they ventured from planet to planet enslaving races and usurping resources, selling off their ill-gotten gains to anyone who could give them even more power and prestige. The lucrative partnership made the Saiyans rich in the galactic credit system, and being able to buy anything they wanted was enough for them not to question the morality of their arrangement.

But what had their obedience yielded? What had the Saiyans gained after three generations of faithful service?

Nothing. They had literally nothing to show for their efforts. The one thing they'd been allowed to retain, their homeworld, was taken away like those of all the other conquered races. Not just stolen, obliterated. The Saiyans were pets with long leashes and shiny collars around their necks, kept complacent and pampered until the Frieza decided they couldn't be suffered to exist any longer.

"Did these Frieza turn on you?" Usagi guessed. The helplessness on Vegeta's visage made her heart ache. Saiyans were not the first victims of genocide she'd met, and they wouldn't be the last in her lifetime.

"Yes…" the prince spoke in a solemn tone, "They betrayed us and killed everyone. Almost everyone," he amended.

She reached for his hand. The gesture of sympathy was so unexpected that he recoiled, but the princess wasn't offended. "You're not the only species to come here under such circumstances."

He dared to look her in the eye. "We're not?"

"No. Over in the Scutum-Centaurus arm of Seiun, there's a solar system called Tankei that's been fending off a coalition of rogue celestial bodies known as Shadow Galactica since before I was born. When my mother became queen, she opened the borders of our system to emigrants from Tankei. My generation was the first to grow up alongside people from Mau, Cocoon, Coronis, Kinmoku, Ginnan, and Makaiju… and if you ask me, the Sea became a better place to live thanks to them." Usagi sighed. "Unfortunately, Shadow Galactica has grown stronger, the alliance weaker, and the number of refugees from Tankei increased from a trickle to a steady stream over the past year, since I received my guardian crystal."

"What's a guardian crystal?" Vegeta inquired. What exactly did it mean to be a guardian, a celestial warrior? How were they different from warriors like him?

Usagi smiled kindly, drew her hand to her chest, and closed her eyes. Shingo winked at the Saiyan and also shut his eyes. Before Vegeta could think to do the same, white light lanced between her fingers and blinded him. He blinked rapidly to clear the moats from his vision, and when he could see again, his jaw dropped at the sight he beheld. Usagi's aura had been condensed into the clear flower-shaped crystal hovering in her palm, a tangible manifestation of her ki. And she had a lot of it, maybe even more than his father. Vegeta had never met anyone stronger than his father until today.

"This is the Ginzuishou," Usagi said. "All the guardians have special crystals like this, but mine is the only one with a name."

"Ginzuishou…" The more words he tried in their language, the easier it became to speak. "What does it mean?"

"'Silver good omen'," she answered. "This crystal is unique because it is empowered by the faith of everyone residing in the Sea of Serenity. Guardians are supposed to be the personification of one element and one aspect." She blushed, then. "My full title is Princess Usagi Serena, Silver Lady of Luna, the Guardian of Crystal and Hope."

"Bit of a mouthful, if you ask me," Shingo put in.

Usagi tittered, a spritely sound. "It really is. If I'm allowed to call you 'Vegeta' instead of 'Prince Vegeta the Fourth of Vegetasei and Sadala', you can just call me 'Usagi'. Nobody has time for the rest."

Vegeta did. He had all the time in the universe to bask in her radiance. At least, he did until Tarble came looking for him. Usagi stowed her crystal upon sensing his approach. She didn't reveal it to just anyone. "There you are, Brother." The younger Saiyan left a healthy distance between himself and the Lunarians. "Who are you talking to?"

"This is Princess Usagi and, err… Prince Shingo? Of Luna."

Shingo barked a laugh. "Me, a prince?! We're half-siblings, Highness. Same father, but my mother is a Terran."

"Oh." Vegeta flushed. "I only assumed…"

Tarble studied their interaction. His sibling was the crown prince of Vegetasei, the pride of their people, and their father's favorite. He was strong, cunning, articulate, stoic… Tarble had never seen him blush before. "You shouldn't make assumptions, Brother. Especially when we know next to nothing about this system."

"I know that," Vegeta asserted in an attempt to save face, "but they look exactly the same. It was a logical assumption."

"We won't hold it against you," Shingo said. "Now, to return to the reason why I assumed you came here in the first place… Would you like some threads?"

The clothes did look nice, and it was probably best for the Saiyans to ditch their Frieza-issued armor as soon as possible. "How much does it cost?" Tarble questioned. "Do you take galactic credits?"

The brother and sister laughed again but not in a mean-spirited way. "Our economic model is as simple as it gets. If you want something, you can have it."

"That seems unreasonable. You can't just give away things for free."

"We can, and we do," Usagi said. "It works because people take only what they need. No more, no less. That way there's enough for everyone."

"But who makes the clothes?" Tarble pressed. "How are they compensated for their labor?"

Shingo held up an informative finger. "I made these clothes. I get compensated when a farmer buys seasonal workwear to manage his crops. I clothe him and he feeds me. Simple."

"It can't be that simple," Tarble insisted, "but fine, I accept your offer." He wriggled out of his fitted chest piece and dropped it on the floor.

"Tarble." Vegeta gave him a stern look that he ignored, listening to Shingo info-dump about Lunarian fashion. The boy clearly had a passion for his craft.

Usagi giggled. "It's okay, we just recycle unwanted materials. Would you like an outfit as well?" Vegeta wandered into the racks with her. She hemmed and hawed, holding garments against his rather muscular build. "If you don't mind me asking, how old are you and your brother?"

"I've seen fifteen summers," Vegeta replied. "Thirteen with Tarble."

She squinted in concentration. "So we're basically the same age, although I guess it depends how long it takes for your planet to orbit the sun."

"Three-hundred and eighty days," he provided, "and we have two suns."

"Ooh, a binary system? That's exciting." Usagi held up a tunic that almost matched her eyes. "I think this color would look good on you. What do you think?"

Vegeta brushed the fabric. "It's soft."

"Mhm. Lunarian silk is difficult to work with but Shingo's a really skilled weaver. Want to try it on?" He answered by tugging on specific points of his armor to loosen it. The sectioned plates were a burnished blue, the seams gold, and underneath was a long-sleeved, skin-tight grey shirt resembling carbon fiber weave. Vegeta didn't flinch when Usagi touched his arm this time. "These materials are so interesting. They should be sent to Mercury for analysis, see if we can adapt them for… oh, unless… Would that be weird?"

"How so?"

She fidgeted. "I mean, would it make your people feel uncomfortable if we repurposed something that's kind of, you know… a symbol of oppression?"

The prince considered his armor. Every Saiyan wore the same plated chest piece; some, like Bardock and Gine, removed the spaulders for more flexibility. A tasset protected vital organs in the lower abdomen. There was a choice between gloves or bracers; Vegeta and Tarble wore the former because their father did. The boots were knee-high and featured hard caps, but almost everyone cut them off because they were too bulky, Shallot being an exception. Beneath the armor was a plain shirt in a long sleeve, short sleeve, or sleeveless cut, and plain pants in long, three-quarter, or short length. Black and grey were the only color options. The lower layers were extremely close-fitting to function like tourniquets in case of injury, staunching blood flow to open wounds and preventing poisons from spreading. That was assuming anything made it through their ki shields.

The Frieza had labored for years to create combat attire with durability to match the Saiyans' endurance. As Vegeta's grandmother had recounted, it wasn't uncommon for warriors to end up partially nude in battle as their armor disintegrated around them. That made Vegeta wonder if the Frieza developed their biomechanical suits to protect themselves from ki. But what did they have to fear? It wasn't as if the Saiyans ever entertained the idea of revolting.

Unless somebody did, and the Frieza caught wind of it, and that's why they committed genocide, to show the other slave races what happened when they thought about trying to reclaim what was rightfully theirs…

"Vegeta?" He snapped back to the present to find Usagi regarding him with concern. "Are you okay? I'm sorry if that was insensitive."

He shook his head once. "You're wrong– our armor isn't a symbol of oppression. It's a symbol of Saiyan strength, strength the Frieza feared and tried to suppress."

She smiled a little. "So does that mean we can have it?"

Vegeta unfastened his tasset, yanked off his gloves, and kicked off his boots. Usagi blinked at the pile at her feet. "Take it all, give it to your engineers. I want them to use these pieces to create something even stronger. And I'll get the others to send you their armor, too."

"Oh… okay, great!" She looked sheepish. "But you don't need to give it to me personally. Just take it to the recycling center and put it in the bin for Mercury."

"All right," he agreed, blushing again. There was a lot to learn about living in the Sea of Serenity.